I tried Kim's recipe yesterday on my BM, but had to dump everything into my KA instead as there was a problem with the paddle on the pan. Mixed for 15 min, rested 50min, punched down, shaped and into loaf pan for another 50 min rise. Baked at bottom of 450 oven for 30 min before lowering to 375. Lotsa rise and it was delish when I had it for breakfast this morning.

I'm from Singapore, though I'm Chinese and not Peranakan, but we're exposed to the various cuisines.
This cookbook is rather old. In days of old recipes were handed down verbally. So, for the same recipe prepared by two persons, they will turn up slightly different. Don't sweat the coconut thing as they're almost always simmered and reduced.
For chili powder, curry powder and such, you'll be fine going for the ones from Malaysia as this cuisine is a marriage of Malay and Chinese. For dried chilli's, very those that are about 4" for less spicy, while those about 2"are spicier .